And just like that, the Tour de France changes again. We were only just getting accustomed to the tactical complexion of a race without Jonas Vingegaard but now, with two mountain stages remaining, we have the strongest team in the race, the team of the yellow jersey, dropping like flies.
Brandon McNulty is in his hotel room booking a flight from Geneva airport. Adam Yates is battling a stomach issue and riding on empty. Tim Wellens has a sore throat and only just made the time cut on Thursday. And it also transpires that Florian Vermeersch is carrying an injury. That’s one man down for Tadej Pogačar, three below their best, and just three fully fit – as far as we know – going into a crucial Alpe d’Huez double header.
